A Fairer Scotland for Older People: framework for action

Where we’re going

‘There are more adults alive right now than in all of human history combined. Older adults are the only increasing natural resource in the world.’
Ipsos-MORI/Centre for Ageing Better
The Perenials: the Future of Ageing, page 139

This framework showcases the extent of work and commitments made to improve the life chances of older people and sets a direction of travel for our future work. 

We realise, however, that there is much more we can do in partnership with our stakeholders. Moving forward, we will ensure that the Older People’s Strategic Action Forum plays a role in considering the actions and policies needed to ensure older people achieve the equality of outcome they deserve. 

As we stated at the start of this framework, it will take a multi-agency approach and commitment from wider society to achieve real change. Attitudes do not change overnight, and ageism, wherever it is found, must be eradicated. Achieving this will require sustained effort. 

We must teach young people to value older people and look to them for guidance and support, but we must also remind our older selves that we all age, and that it is important to step into others’ shoes for a different point of view.

We will monitor the actions of this framework via the Older People’s Strategic Action Forum. We will also develop a set of indicators to ensure we can report robustly on progress and continue to identify the areas in which action needs to be taken. The Government will also produce an annual report from the Minister for Older People and Equalities. 

We are striving to make Scotland fairer for everyone. For those of us lucky enough to get older, we must help shape decisions that affect our daily lives, and for those that are not at that milestone yet, we need your views to help direct our thinking about services and needs in the longer term. We all have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to have our say.

Just as the Government has an aspiration to make Scotland the best place to be born and grow up in, we also want Scotland to be the best place in which to age and mature – a country in which older people are valued, respected and supported to live the lives they want.